It was My Pleasure

A preacher once asked the attendees of a Christian conference, if they had enjoyed the worship time so far and hundreds, if not thousands cheered with a loud voice. Then he asked this question:

Did God enjoy your worship?

We don’t expect this question and are most probably dumbfounded, simply because more often than not, it is taught that the worship time is meant to serve us. One famous person has unmistakably confirmed exactly that to their members and to millions of viewers:

Worship is not really for God, but for us.

Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. The LORD smelled the soothing aroma…

Gen 8:20-21 (NASB)

It is natural thing that we all desire to be happy. This is in our human nature and can for example be found integrated in the US Declaration of Independence:

The pursuit of happiness

Out of this natural urge to please ourselves, much of what we see in this world has come into being. Where music was originally meant to worship God, where stories were told to testify of God’s goodness, where it was about loving people, because it pleases God, all of a sudden the human being became the center of our attention. Our happiness is now most important.

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.

Rom 8:5 (NLT)

Thankfully, the disciples of Christ can leave this behind and decide to live their lives with a different motive. We have been given a privilege and a wonderful gift, wherein it is no longer about us, but instead, we care about the most important person in the universe!

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1Co 10:31 (NLT)

As true children of God, we only have one focus in life, and that sets us apart from everyone else. We are no longer trapped in the pursuit of our own desires, but we are free to serve God and that make us happy.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

Rom 8:12-14 (NLT)

Happiness cannot possibly be a truly lucrative goal in life. Especially given the fact, that it has no positive effect to our eternal well-being. No, what we sense or feel here on earth is completely unimportant to a disciple of Christ.

Paul continues in his letter to the Romans, that God indeed blesses His children with a new desire (regardless the consequences on our physical comforts):

And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later.

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